The Australian skipper has taken 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
The Australian selection chief the selector has declared that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming historic rivalry.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest kicking off on 21 November in Western Australia.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about his chances of being involved.
"We know that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations around that, aside from the back issue, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he will feature a key capacity. Hopefully it's the first Test. If not, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of three Australian summers in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the contest.
He mentioned that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and stated that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the first Test as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the initial matches in any case. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for a short period, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
